Pool float valve and cover

ABSTRACT

The present pool filling system is designed to retrofit manual or aging pool filling systems with a ball valve held within an enclosure. The enclosure has a number of apertures through the side walls and bottom wall for allowing water to enter and exit the enclosure to equalize the interior and pool water level. The float valve is protected from continuous cycling by the baffling effect provided by the apertures which prevents wave action from the pool from entering the enclosure. The enclosure may be clamped to a bracket strapped about the plumbing and may be directly attached to the pool wall by mounting tape on a flange. The enclosure also acts to reduce sound levels due to water exiting the float valve under pressure.

BACKGROUND

The embodiments herein relate generally to systems for filling pools;and more particularly, systems for regulating the water level in poolsby using a float valve.

A large portion of swimming pools, spas, and the like have been in usefor many years without upgrade. Thus, there are numerous pools inservice utilizing original and outdated equipment. In particular, thewater filling systems in pools are aging and in need of retrofitting.Pools lose water throughout the day, primarily from evaporation,splashing, and maybe small leaks in the pool wall or linin. Older poolsmay have a manual spigot that a person must open by hand to fill thepool, and close by hand to stop the filling process. A water pipeprotrudes through the wall of the pool for introducing water into thepool from the spigot.

Manual spigots have numerous shortfalls due to requiring constantattention during the filling process. When filling the pool, the personmust take care not to over-fill the pool, causing flooding. Thus, theperson must regularly check the filling process to insure the spigot isturned off when the appropriate level is obtained. On the other hand, ifthe person permits the pool water level to drop too much before filling,the water level in the pool may drop below the skimmer inlet andpermitting the drawing in of air, thus damaging the skimmer pump.

Float valves have been used to automatically control the water level.However, float valves are susceptible to frequent opening and closing ofthe valve due to splashing, when the pool is in use. Further, debris,such as leaves, may interfere with the operation of the float valve.Additionally, float valves make a hissing noise in operation that somefind unpleasant.

What is needed is a water filling system that reduces thedisadvantageous operation of the float valve. The system shouldautomatically control the water filling process. The system needs to beprotected from contact and should provide a means to reduce theundulating effect of splashing on the float. What is further needed is asystem that reduces water noise during the filling process.

SUMMARY

A pool filling system is provided herein for retrofitting an existingwater inlet extending through a wall of a pool, where the water inlet isconnected to a water source for filling the pool. The system isprimarily comprised of a float valve, an enclosure surrounding the floatvalve, and a plurality of apertures formed through the enclosure. Thefloat valve has an inlet port in fluid communication with the existingwater inlet and an outlet port. The float valve is configured to changeposition with a change in a pool water level. The enclosure has aninterior defined by a front face, an open face opposite the front face,a right side, a left side opposite the right side, a top side, and abottom side opposite the top side. The float valve is configured to bewholly situated within the interior of the enclosure and configured topermit the float valve to change position without interference. Theenclosure is positioned in abutment with the wall of the pool at theopen face, with the outlet port of the float valve configured to deliverwater to the interior. A plurality of apertures are formed through theright side, the left side, and the bottom side. The apertures areminimally sized to permit the water from the inlet to freely exit theenclosure without creating a substantial differential between aninterior water level within the enclosure and the pool water level.Additionally, the apertures are maximally sized to serve as a baffle toprevent splashing within the pool from substantially changing theinterior water level.

Optionally, the enclosure may further include a flange extending aboutthe perimeter of the open face. A water resistant adhesive may beapplied between the flange and wall of the pool to adhere the enclosureto the wall. An elbow fitting may be fitted in line between the existingwater inlet and the inlet port of the float valve. The existing waterinlet, the elbow fitting, and the float valve form a structure, with thestructure held in position relative to the wall of the pool through theexisting water inlet. A clamp may be wrapped about at least a portion ofthe structure, with the clamp being fastened to the enclosure andholding the enclosure to the structure. The clamp may be fastened to thefront face of the enclosure with a plurality of screws. A loaddistributing bar may be positioned an outer surface of the front face,with the screws inserted through the load distributing bar and throughthe front face to fasten to the clamp.

Optionally, the enclosure provides a muffling effect to reduce the soundof the water exiting the outlet port when the float valve is actuated.Again optionally, at least some of the apertures are configured to bepositioned above the interior water level and the pool water level topermit the ingress and egress of air. At least some of the apertures maybe formed through the top wall, where the enclosure is configured to bepositioned such that the top wall is above the pool water level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention will be ismade below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein likenumerals represent corresponding parts of the figures.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of thepresent invention showing the pool filling system installed within apool;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view showing the pool fillingsystem fully assembled;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the pool filling system;

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the pool filling system of FIG.1, the section taken at 4-4, and showing the pool water level at amaximum; and

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the pool filling system of FIG.1, the section taken at 4-4, and showing the pool water level at aminimum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of thepresent pool filling system (10) comprises an enclosure (12) attached toa pool wall (50). Within the enclosure (12) and fluidly connected to thewater inlet pipe (44) is a float valve (17) with a movable float (18)which floats atop the water and moves with the water level. Theenclosure (12) has a plurality of apertures (14) in one or more places.The enclosure (12) has a top side (52), a bottom side (60), a right side(54), a left side (58), a front face (56), and an open face (62).Surrounding the perimeter of the open face (62) is a flange (16), whichpermits a flat surface for adhering the enclosure (12) to the pool wall(50) through an adhesive means, such as water resistant mounting tape(15).

Referring now to FIG. 3, the present pool filling system (10) is shownin an exploded view. The existing water inlet pipe (44) normally extendsfrom the pool wall (50) and is connected to a water source for fillingthe pool. The pool filling system (10) is adapted to retrofit and attachto the existing water inlet pipe (44) through a connecting pipe (35).The connecting pipe (35) is inserted into the existing water inlet pipe(44) after coating both with primer and solvent cement to permanentlyglue the two together. Depending on the configuration of the existingwater inlet pipe (44), different connecting pipes (35) or otherconnectors may be used to attach the pool filling system (10) to thewater inlet pipe (44). An elbow fitting (34) is attached to theconnecting pipe (35) by one end and a thread (32) extending from thevalve body (30) of the float valve (17) by the opposite end. A pivotingarm (20) extends from the valve body (30) to hold a float (18) on thesurface of the water.

A pipe bracket (16) is positioned over the elbow (34) or part of thefloat valve (17) so that the enclosure can be fastened to the floatvalve (17) assembly. In the illustrated example, a load distributing bar(39), acting much like a washer, is positioned on the outer surface ofthe front face (56) so that two screws (38) can be inserted through theholes (41), through holes (40) in the enclosure (12), and into the holes(37) of the bracket (36) for fastening. Mounting tape (15) on theflanges (16) further fastens the enclosure (12) to the pool wall (50).

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the pool filling system (10) attached to the poolwall (50) and in operation. FIG. 5 shows a scenario where the pool waterlevel (46) and the interior water level (47) have dropped to a minimumdue to evaporation, splashing, etc. The float (18) drops down as aresult of the low interior water level (47), which is related to thepool water level (46), but without the variation due to wave action. Thepivoting arm (20) rotates clockwise about pivot (23), causing the valveplug (24) to be lifted from its seat to permit the water flow (48) totravel through the inlet port (28) and out of the outlet port (26), thusdepositing water into the interior of the enclosure (12). The apertures(14) are of a size and quantity to permit the interior water level (47)to equalize with the pool water level (46) by allowing water to travelthrough the apertures (14) as the water leaves the float valve (17).Further, apertures (14) are provided on at least the top side (52) ofthe enclosure (12), above the maximum water level, to permit air toenter and exit the enclosure (12) so that a suction or pressurizedeffect is not created.

FIG. 4 shows a scenario where the pool water level (46) and the interiorwater level (47) have increased to a maximum due to the float valve (17)introducing water into the pool. The arm (20) and the float (18) haverotated counterclockwise to force the valve plug (24) into the seat tostop the water flow (48). Again, because the enclosure (12) provides abaffling effect due to the apertures (14) being located on the sideswalls (54, 58) and bottom wall (60), so that extreme splashing thatcauses significant changes in the pool water level (46) due to waveaction is substantially prevented changing the interior water level(47). The size of the apertures (14) must be so large as to permit thewave action from entering the enclosure (12) to cause the float valve(17) to continuously cycle on and off. Furthermore, the enclosure (12)is made of a thermoformed plastic material with a thickness and densitysufficient to deaden the sound of flowing water when the float valve(17) is on.

Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous designconfigurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of theinventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations andarrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of theinvention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather thannarrowed by the embodiments described above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pool filling system for retrofitting anexisting water inlet extending through a wall of a pool, the water inletbeing connected to a water source for filling the pool, the pool fillingsystem comprising: a float valve with an inlet port in fluidcommunication with the existing water inlet and an outlet port, thefloat valve configured to change position with a change in a pool waterlevel; an enclosure, the enclosure having an interior defined by a frontface, an open face opposite the front face, a right side, a left sideopposite the right side, a top side, and a bottom side opposite the topside, the float valve configured to be wholly situated within theinterior of the enclosure, the enclosure configured to be in abutmentwith the wall of the pool at the open face, the enclosure permitting thefloat valve to change position without interference, the outlet port ofthe float valve configured to deliver water to the interior; a pluralityof apertures formed through the right side, the left side, and thebottom side, the apertures minimally sized to permit the water from theinlet to freely exit the enclosure without creating a substantialdifferential between an interior water level within the enclosure andthe pool water level, the apertures maximally sized to serve as a baffleto prevent splashing within the pool from substantially changing theinterior water level.
 2. The pool filling system of claim 1 wherein, theenclosure further comprises a flange extending about a perimeter of theopen face.
 3. The pool filling system of claim 2 wherein, a waterresistant adhesive is applied between the flange and wall of the pool toadhere the enclosure to the wall.
 4. The pool filling system of claim 1wherein, an elbow fitting is fitted in line between the existing waterinlet and the inlet port of the float valve.
 5. The pool filling systemof claim 4 wherein, the existing water inlet, the elbow fitting, and thefloat valve form a structure, with the structure held in positionrelative to the wall of the pool through the existing water inlet, aclamp being wrapped about at least a portion of the structure, the clampadditionally being fastened to the enclosure, the clamp holding theenclosure to the structure.
 6. The pool filling system of claim 5wherein, the clamp is fastened to the front face of the enclosure. 7.The pool filling system of claim 6 wherein, the clamp is fastened to thefront face of the enclosure with a plurality of screws, a loaddistributing bar being positioned an outer surface of the front face,the screws being inserted through the load distributing bar and throughthe front face to fasten to the clamp.
 8. The pool filling system ofclaim 1 wherein, the enclosure provides a muffling effect to reduce thesound of water exiting the outlet port when the float valve is actuated.9. The pool filling system of claim 1 wherein, at least some of theapertures are configured to be positioned above the interior water leveland the pool water level to permit the ingress and egress of air. 10.The pool filling system of claim 9 wherein, at least some of theapertures are formed through the top wall, where the enclosure isconfigured to be positioned such that the top wall is above the poolwater level.